The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and Food Addiction [Hardcover]

Pamela Peeke (Author), Mariska van Aalst (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 18, 2012

Food addiction is real. Our body’s built-in reward system, driven by the chemical dopamine, tells us to do things that give us pleasure: Creative energy, falling in love, entrepreneurship—even the continued procreation of the human race—are driven by this system. Unfortunately, so is the urge to overeat.

In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Pam Peeke uses the latest neuroscience to explain how, with repeated exposure coupled with life stresses, any food can become a "False Fix" and ensnare you in a vicious cycle of food obsession, overeating, and addiction. Indeed, she shows that dopamine rushes in the body can work exactly the same way with food as with drugs like cocaine.

Luckily, this very same system can be easily rewired to reward us with a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life. The Hunger Fix lays out a science-based three-stage plan that shows us how to break our addiction to False Fixes and replace them with healthier rewards. Fun fitness activities, customized meal plans, and delicious, satisfying recipes are designed to trigger the specific neurochemical cascade that stimulates your body’s reward system, reclaims your hijacked brain, and supports your lifelong recovery. Energizing Healthy Fixes such as meditating, having sex, writing your own blog, or going for a walk on the beach—even laughing—quickly replace the junk food, couch time, and other self-destructive habits that can leave you unhappy and overweight.

Packed with practical tips, useful advice, and plenty of wit, wisdom, and inspiring stories of those who have successfully transformed their bodies, The Hunger Fix is a lifechanging program for anyone (of any size) trapped by food obsessions and the urge to overeat.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For countless men and women who have tried to lose weight and failed, The Hunger Fix offers hope of a real, permanent solution to weight gain. If you truly want to conquer your food demons, take control of your body and your health, and set yourself on the path to sustainable weight loss, The Hunger Fix is a must read."
--David Zinczencko, Editor in Chief, Men’s Health and author of Eat This, Not That!

"In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Pam Peeke elegantly outlines a practical plan to navigate the treacherous tightrope over the food addiction ravine."
--Dr. Mehmet Oz, Professor and Vice-Chair, Surgery, NYP Columbia University, and host of the Dr. Oz show
　
"In her outstanding new book, The Hunger Fix, Dr. Peeke provides those afflicted with overeating and food addiction with a powerful new tool—Transcendental Meditation—to rein in impulses and control cravings. Dr. Peeke wisely makes this simple, effortless technique a key part of her holistic plan to manage food addiction, empowering men and women to enjoy a lifelong recovery."
—David Lynch, filmmaker and founder of the David Lynch Foundation
　
"As I know from countless conversations with friends, family and Zumba enthusiasts all over the world, food addiction is a real issue. I could not be more pleased to see that, with this book, it is finally getting the attention it deserves. In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Peeke not only dissects the science of food addiction in an easy-to-understand way, she also offers readers a pragmatic approach to triggering their own EpiphaME and embarking on a journey toward a healthier, happier life."
--Alberto Perlman, Co-Founder and CEO, Zumba Fitness International
　
"The Hunger Fix is revolutionary. Dr. Peeke applies her trademark holistic approach to food addiction, integrating cutting-edge mind and body science. This book offers a practical, realistic blueprint for the lifelong recovery each individual so richly deserves."
--Beth Shaw, Founder, YogaFit
　
"In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Peeke tackles one of the greatest health problems of our day with startling new insights. She addresses food addiction at its root cause rather than simply providing a diet that leaves people hungry and dissatisfied. The Hunger Fix is a must-read for anyone who wants to end overeating and food obsessions once and for all."
--Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Georgetown University Medical School and author of the New York Times bestseller Transcendence: Healing and Transformation Through Transcendental Meditation
　
"In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Peeke shows how the foods we eat can directly alter brain chemical messengers and why some find it so challenging to just say ‘no’ to sugary, fatty foods. More importantly, Dr. Peeke offers solutions and tools to counter the vicious cycle of food addiction."
--Michael W. Smith, MD, Medical Director, Chief Medical Editor of WebMD.com
　
"Food addiction is a game changer in weight management. For those people who are caught in the throws of overeating and feeling hopeless and out of control, The Hunger Fix is a must read. Dr. Peeke teaches us how to use our own biochemistry and lifestyle habits to reclaim our brains and finally live a life without food and weight torment."
--Gary & Diane Heavin, Co-Founders of Curves
　
"The Hunger Fix presents research that is shockingly undeniable—food addiction is real! But there’s hope for those struggling with hunger and overeating. Dr. Peeke’s easy-to-follow plan will help readers rewire their brains and transform their bodies permanently. If you’ve tried everything and failed, this book is your savior." 　
-- Chuck Runyon, Founder and CEO of Anytime Fitness and author of Working Out Sucks!

"The Hunger Fix provides people of all sizes, shapes and ages the opportunity to cast aside self-destructive behaviors, and instead get high on "Healthy Fixes." We couldn’t agree more that injecting joy and fun into daily physical activity generates the real reward we’re all hungering for as we seek long-term happiness and wellness!"
--Kathie and Peter Davis, Co-founders of IDEA Health & Fitness Association
　
"In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Peeke successfully links the new science of addiction with the practical realities of our primal drives for hunger and appetite. Through this mind-body connection, The Hunger Fix offers a simple lifelong weight management and lifestyle solution that touches all aspects of how we think, eat and play."
--Paul Terpeluk MD, MPH, Medical Director, Employee Health, Cleveland Clinic
　
"Diets are based on denial and deprivation—they create a vicious cycle that leaves dieters feeling addicted to food. In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Peeke explains the science and biochemistry associated with addiction and food binges and offers simple eating steps for people who feel hopeless and out of control."
--Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD Sports nutritionist and author of the best-selling Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook

"In The Hunger Fix, Dr. Pam Peeke guides readers through the groundbreaking new science of food addiction, helping to explain how their reward systems can be altered by exposure to certain foods. 　After identifying the challenge, she provides an accessible, practical, science-based strategy to manage cravings and addictive habits for the long term."
--James O. Hill PhD, Co-Founder National Weight Control Registry, Executive Director, Anschutz Health & Wellness Center, University of Colorado

"I see a lot of cookbooks...but very few do what this one did, which was to make me rethink the way I shop and cook." --MORE Magazine (September)

About the Author

Pam Peeke MD, MPH, FACP is the New York Times bestselling author of Body for Life for Women, Fight Fat after Forty, and Fit to Live. Dr. Peeke is a Pew Scholar in nutrition and metabolism, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland, and a nationally recognized expert in nutrition, fitness and public health. She is WebMD's lifestyle expert, host of Discovery Health TV's Could You Survive and spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine's Exercise is Medicine global initiative.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (September 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609614526
• ISBN-13: 978-1609614522
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diets & Weight Loss > Detoxes & Cleanses
  • #18 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Addiction & Recovery > Drug Dependency
  • #19 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Eating Disorders

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 94 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hunger Fix is a life saver! September 25, 2012

By Debby A. Rosenfeld

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The tools in the Hunger Fix saved my life. Five years ago, Dr. Peeke was the first Dr. I ever met who acknowledged flat out that food can legitimately be addictive. What a relief! All of those years, and countless diets, where I tried desperately to eat in moderation. I'd eat my Jenny Craig lemon cake, love every bite, and wonder why, the next day I was craving sweets at 3:00. In my experience craving leads to eating, and eating the wrong foods leads to bingeing. This is fueled by the societal mantra that desert food, or high fat salty food is a reward. A recent McDonalds billboard showed a huge box of French fries with the text: HAPPINESS. Really?

What I've learned from Dr. Peeke, is that all of the advertising hype about high fat food, candy and ice-cream, as a "well deserved reward" is false. Food is not a true reward, unless it's food that makes you feel good later. Where is the reward in feeling too full, bloated, shaky, wired, drowsy, guilty or depressed? What is the reward in never being satisfied with sugar, no matter how much we eat? Maybe that split second after the first bite is bliss-full, but with food addiction, that delicious bite quickly turns into eating chaos.

I think in this country we've been trained to become so disassociated from our bodies that often all we think about is how something tastes, and the experience of eating it. I know when I weighed 212 pounds (at 5 foot 1 ˝ inches) I wasn't thinking about the effect that the food was having on my body--. I was using food to keep myself from feeling bad. I would feel a bit calmer after satisfying the burning insane craving, but of course, the bad feelings always came back--multiplied. That is not a reward. It's what Dr. Peeke has termed, a FALSE FIX.

In the Hunger Fix, Dr.... Peeke will show you how to switch up your reward thinking. You'll start to crave healthy rewards, such as enjoying reaching fitness goals, eating easy to prepare whole foods that will nurture your mind and body, and simple meditation. You will experience excitement when those new lifestyle choices result in a renewed sense of purpose, evenness, and pride. And when it doesn't go as planned, Dr. Peeke will teach you how to become a "master re-grouper".

Using Dr. Peeke's tools, I've taken off 65 pounds of unwanted fat, and even more importantly have been able to get off of the rollercoaster of binge eating.

Sure, those trigger foods still look appealing, but now when I visualize how they will play out in havoc on my mind and body, I look for the true reward, which is maintaining a sense of balance and success. (and eating delicious and truly satisfying non-addictive food)

Dr. Peeke will teach you how to achieve these goals. It will take some effort at first, like any new plan does. The difference is that this is a method of living that can be sustained for a lifetime.

Also, I am not a cook. The foods that I eat are easy, satisfying, and nurturing. I promise you, I do not feel deprived by avoiding trigger foods. If you have a food addiction issue, you may be like me and try to fight it. But once you realize "it is what it is," you can learn to live with it, and you can love your life more than ever.

Since I've been working with the methods Dr. Peeke outlines in The Hunger Fix, I've not only lost weight, but my Fibromyalgia has improved significantly. I've run a 5k, 10k and am training for my 2nd half marathon. I never was a runner. I am much more active with my kids. So many new discoveries are waiting when you get out of the food fog, and start caring for yourself with healthy rewards.

As far as I can see it, the number one first step to enjoying your life free from the destructiveness of food addiction, is to pick up a copy of The Hunger Fix! It's a well written, insightful, and easy to follow set of tools that will lead to the truest type of reward--a healthy and happy life.

Debby Rosenfeld Read more ›

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Advice for Overcoming Addiction to Junk Food September 24, 2012

By Janet S

Format:Hardcover

The Hunger Fix is a book about addiction to unhealthy foods that give us a pleasure fix that's not unlike our response to other drugs or nicotine. The book shows how different foods trigger neurochemicals (especially dopmine) that create a powerful reward sensation in our brains.

The book makes a good argument that diets which totally eliminate this natural reward sensation are doomed to fail. Instead, this book offers a 3-phase plan that tries to transition the reward from unhealthy choices (what the authors call "false fixes") to healthy ones. The idea is to gradually teach your brain to respond to food choices that are good for you.

The book has lots of good information and advice, although some of the specifics may seem a bit extreme or unrealistic some readers. For example, one table shows how you can transition from a bacon cheese burger (false fix), to a lean beef burger (first phase), to a turkey burger (second phase) and finally to a "bean" burger (final phase). That may be a little further than some people want to go, but the basic idea makes a lot of sense.

The "Hunger Fix" is not really a diet book, but it does have a meal plan chapter and it includes about 75 recipes. The main value of the book is the information on overcoming junk food addiction.

A good companion to this book is The Protein Express Diet: Rapid Weight Loss with a Simplified Low Carb, High Protein Diet, which has a specific weight loss plan, as well as some good tips for healthy, high protein meals and snacks that can "trick" your body into thinking it is getting a carb fix.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Legitimate At Last October 14, 2012

By Frances Kuffel

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a 12-step member for compulsive overeating, it has been a refreshing journey to watch the science finally culminate in this extraordinarily useful and positive survey of a weight -- and life -- management plan. Dr. Peeke's focus on the brain-body should relieve millions of us that we are not as out of control as we are UNDER the control of something bigger than us: sugar, fats, salts, the mouth feel industry. I love it that she allows room for mess-ups that are a matter of shame (or pouring on more money) elsewhere, and that she doesn't push exercise for Stage One neophytes beyond the mild and, frankly, distracting.

I want to give this book to a lot of people, not all of them struggling with food or weight. It's about so much more than these things with plenty of evidence to back up the efficacy of dedicated exercise, music, meditation, sleep, getting out into the green world and other tools she suggests for rewarding the brain now deprived of its substance. Anyone who has wrestled with an addiction or depression should read this source guide on re-engineering the brain.

And my favorite take-away? The dopamine spike of binge food is at its highest in anticipation not in eating. Kinda puts the kaibosh on that quick run to the corner to keep that in mind.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice for Food Addicts September 25, 2012

By Nora Rachel Houston

Format:Hardcover

The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and Food Addiction

It was so nice to finally read a book that makes me understand why I over-eat and why I'm never satisfied when I do. It never occurred to me that my brain wiring was in the mix -- I thought I just didn't have any will power. After seeing Dr. Peeke on the Katie Couric show last week..and those brain scans of folks on heroin and folks who eat too much and the scans were identical...I knew I had to buy this book. Now I've got some ammo to attack my overeating problems and a way to "re-wire" my brain so that it is working with me, not against me. I like that the book has recipes so I have some ways to eat differently and hopefully eat better and I know that like all programs, I have to be the architect of the change I want to see in myself. Thanks Dr. Peeke for writing a book with science in it in such a way that non-scientists can benefit.